Retire: give it all up at 58 and RV?

azdryheat wrote:
I'm thinking the small rv would get old real fast for FT.

I agree, would also limit him to a small girlfriend. The more options the better.

It falls into "what ever cranks your tractor"...

Keep in mind that RV'ing is not cheap especially if you go big time. I heard some of those dudes would spend $1000 just fueling up somewhere... Maintenance, insurance, is very big for the big rigs...

If I was single and footloose I would have a truck camper pulling my trusty ole JEEP. Living in the high country of Arizona/New Mexico and playing with my Ham Radio stuff and hiking the trails taking pictures... But I suspect that would probably get old real quick too being by yourself all the time...

Being alone will have it drawbacks for sure. What to do with your stuff when you are running around here and there... Never know what you are going to find when you come back... You almost have to stay with the crowds to be safe now...

The world is full of crazies now...

We used to really enjoy camping out in the Natl Forest areas in NC but now we have to keep a close watch on who is around us... No camping going on in the Poconos now in PA for obvious reasons...

Was camping in ELKMONT a couple years back and the back road had five or six strange looking dudes sharing one medium size tent all speaking foreign language and every car had different state license plates... Makes one be very cautious in these times for sure...

I'm sure an old guy camping by himself will be zeroed on by law enforcement every where you go these days... I would be that strange looking long haired old dude camping on the beaches of Padre Island, TX picking and singing Willy Nelson songs... Love that place...


Roy Ken

Took early retirement at 53, was on the road 8 months later. No regrets! No plans to quit any time soon.

timmori wrote:
Hi all,

I am sure I am posting on something that has been posted a zillion times...

I am 58 single(divorced)with no obligations - and I am tired of the corporate world so thinking of selling it all and living in a small RV or a few years. I am looking for any guidance, or perhaps a reference to a community of similar people!

Thanks in advance for your kind responses.

Tim
(https://www.facebook.com/timmori)

Check out RV Sue at the link below. She's been doing it alone for three years now.

http://rvsueandcrew.net/

2gypsies wrote:



We have moved around constantly for 16 years of full-timing although we've stayed put for 2m at a time while volunteering. Moving around doesn't limit your friendships. We have added friends along the way, kept in touch, and meet up with them in other places. It's fun.

Join the Escapees RV Club and get involved with the Club. It's not only for rv parks. It's for making friends. There are many subgroups within the club for special interests. We joined the Boomers and the Boondockers and those are our lifelong friends.

Now that's what I like to hear! Thanks!

I will retire at 57 barring some major event. Future activities can and will be adjusted to fit the budget.

What I won't do is delay just to earn or save more. No amount of money will buy you any more time.

rolling_rhoda wrote:

RVing-wise, we aren't interested (we think) in parking for months at a time, because we like to move and explore. However, that will probably limit the friendships and socializing we will be able to enjoy.

We have moved around constantly for 16 years of full-timing although we've stayed put for 2m at a time while volunteering. Moving around doesn't limit your friendships. We have added friends along the way, kept in touch, and meet up with them in other places. It's fun.

Join the Escapees RV Club and get involved with the Club. It's not only for rv parks. It's for making friends. There are many subgroups within the club for special interests. We joined the Boomers and the Boondockers and those are our lifelong friends.

In fact, Oct 1, forty of us are meeting up at the Albuquerque Balloon Festival for 12 days. We'll all be parked together near the take-off field - dry camping, will have happy hours and potlucks and will be crewing for the balloons. We are all members of the Escapees RV Club and some we've known and met up with at other times during our years of full-timing.

You mention trying full timing for a few years. Do you have something in mind for after that? Going back into the workforce in one's early 60's has it's challenges, depending on what work one is willing to do. If you plan to still be retired, but maybe not full-timing, then housing costs should be considered. Leaving corporate life is a big change in lifestyle. Maybe keep your current home, and try RVing for a few months to make sure you really enjoy it.

We are mostly retired and under 55. We will be on the road half-time starting a year from now. Currently, we love the flexibility of not working 8-5. There is no more Monday morning dread.
RVing-wise, we aren't interested (we think) in parking for months at a time, because we like to move and explore. However, that will probably limit the friendships and socializing we will be able to enjoy. We like RV parks, but some of the usual social activities don't interest us (pot lucks, crafts). So if we stay somewhere for several weeks, we will need some things to do. DH hasn't found a hobby yet.
Good luck with whatever you decide!

DW and I retired early, I was 56, she 58. Made sure we were financially secure, loved camping and just prior to retirement bought our Outback. While we don't full time, we DO travel, 3-4 months/year in the trailer, 2-3 months/year on other trips. Personally we didn't want to full time, like time at home for other hobbies, wanted to travel the world as well. After 6 years, wouldn't change a thing. We have several groups of other retired folks we travel with, adding new folks every year. Each year gets more fun as we get to know more folks.

As for costs, we actually spend LESS when RVing than when at home, even when accounting for food, gas, etc. etc.

We are GLAD we decided to retire when we did. Enjoy traveling while you can.

We both watched our parents enter retirement later in life, do some traveling, but have physical limitations keeping them from doing all the traveling later in life that they wanted to do. And at the same time, having the money to do it, but not the physical abilities.

Work another year while you work out the details. In the mean time contribute max to all retirement plans.